Longtime Marian coach Glon steps down, names replacement

MISHAWAKA, Ind. - Few coaches have had as big an impact on football in Northern Indiana as Marian's Reggie Glon. While that impact will be felt for years to come, Glon's long tenure has ended.

Glon met with his team Tuesday morning to break the news that this past fall, his 24th as head coach, was his last.

He made it clear, however, that this was not a retirement.

"[I'll still be] working with the guys in the mornings," he said. "I'll still be at practice except for those days that I'm going to go spend time with my family."

Glon will stay in the program as an assistant coach, and as he wanted, serving as a mentor for the new leader of Marian football, Michael Davidson.

"This job has been special since day one for me," said the 34-year-old, Davidson. "Playing here, being a legacy with my dad and my uncles, it's always been special. I wouldn't have taken [the job] if it wasn't."

Davidson is a 2002 Marian graduate, and a former captain of the football team. He has served on the staff during two separate stints, including this past run of success as defensive coordinator.

"I knew Mike was ready," said Glon. "He's the heir-apparent. If I had hung on for 3, 4, 5 more years, then Mike is going somewhere else."

While it will be a change for Glon to take a backseat, he says it's nothing he can't handle.

"I was a good marine," he said. "When the boss says this is what you do, this is what you do. There's time to dissent and speak individually, but when you walk out of that meeting room door, he's the boss and what he says goes."

Glon is the school's all-time wins leader with 165 victories. During his tenure, the Knights captured five sectionals and four regional titles along with two undefeated regular seasons. Still, he says the relationships with players and coaches are most memorable.

"I'm very fortunate that I'll be going to a couple kids' weddings this year," said Glon. "That means more to me than any win or any championship. They remember and they appreciate what we did for them."

That was the main factor for Davidson's desire as well. Of course, the objective is to continue Marian's success on the field.

"It's not about me, it's not about Coach Glon, it's about the program," he said. "I want us to be the standard for football in Northern Indiana. What Reggie has done has put us there, and it's my job now to carry on that tradition."